AGARTALA, Dec 30 (TIWN): Amidst cheers and enthusiasm, the Railway engine bearing number WBC4-12272 marked its maiden journey on the newly converted BG track of the state. Tripura on Tuesday witnessed the first trial run of a rail engine on the BG track as it rolled into the Badarpur-Agartala track. The rail engine on Tuesday began its journey from Karimganj and reached Manu via Churraebari. The sources also confirmed that the maiden journey of the railway engine was accompanied by Chief engineer Rabindra Ram. People in large numbers gathered at various spots to watch the arrival of the rail engine. The engine began its journey after a ritual was observed by breaking coconuts on the track as a symbol of good will. The trial run of the engine brought cheers to the people of Tripura as the state got a step closer to get rail connectivity in the state after much of doldrums. The Engine trial run will be conducted upto Agartala by January.The work of lying tracks for 227 km long railway track from Badarpur to Agartala began from October 1. According to the Rail authority, Agartala railway station will be counted among one of the big stations. There will be 17 railway tracks in Agartala railway station which is expected to cater rail service from different parts of the state. Sources claim that by March 31, 2016 train to reach Udaipur via Agartala from Badarpur. However, the BG conversion work from Badarpur to Agartala was taken up in two phases.

The train service is suspended from October 1 and will remain suspended until the conversion is ended. The service will remain suspended until the beginning of the railway service.

The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) is working hard to bring Agartala under the country’s Broad Gauge Network by March 2016. With the introduction of the BG facility, one could return from Guwahati to Agartala, capital town of the landlocked State –Tripura in a journey spanning around eight hours and if things fall in place, the ongoing work of BG conversion work from Lumding to Agartala via Badarpur would be completed shortly.

With the trial run of the engine on the newly converted BG track, the common mass of the state is observing a ray of hope for faster communication and transportation.